Compact and similar article



June 16, 1953 c. J. COWAN 2,642,202

COMPACT AND SIMILAR ARTICLE Filed Oct. 19, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l 25 I5 r V Z 24 rz/ 10 .i a". A w l8 Z2 GL lFz-azv J.' Con 41v,

l/VVE/VTOR A Wok/vex June 16, 1953 c. J. COWAN COMPACT AND SIMILAR ARTICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 19, 1951 INVENTOR.

C2 lFrwv J. came/v ATTORNEY Patented June 16, 1953 COMPACT AND SIMILAR ARTICLE Clifton J. (Iowan, Providencalt. L, assignorto Paul Flato Sales Corporation, New York, N. Y.,

a. corporation of New York Application October 19, 1951, Serial No. 252,110

3 Claims. 1 V The present invention relates to a ladys compact and other articles of that type.

An object of this invention is to provide a compact of novel and improved construction where the hinged parts are a pair of frames which carry box top and box bottom respectively and where one of said frames may serve as a bezel for a mirror and the other may constitute the side walls of a well to house face powder, powder puff and the like.

Another object hereof is to provide a novel and improved compact of the character described, which when open, has the mirror slanted upwardly rearwardly while the bottom. of the cosmetic compartment assumes a position slanting downwardly forwardly. Thereby, the mirror is in proper and convenient use position, and

upon tapping the article, any face powder in said compartment, will shift forwardly and become accessible en masse.

A further object of this invention is to provide an item of the type set forth, of novel and improved construction, whose hinge parts may be integral with the frame parts, and afford easy Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, similar char Fig-.11 is a similar section showing the compact in open condition. This view is fragmen-g tary and in particular is of the hinge regionv of the article.

In the drawings, the numeral l5 designates generally a compact which is composed of a frame member l6 acting as the bezel for a mirror I1 within the top box member 18. Also there is another frame member denoted by the numeral l9,,.which when associated with what may be called the floor member 20, makes therewith the bottom box member of the compact structure. Ahinge lug 2!, extending from the frame member I8, sets between the spaced hinge lugs 22 which extend from the frame, member 19, so thata suitable pin orpins 23 may serve as a hinge. axis in thealigned holes 22' and 2|. Although the compact is here shown rectangular, its perimeter may be of any decorative or geometrical shape, however, the hinge axis must be straight. The exterior surface of the compact may carry any style or form of decoration. It is desirable that the bottom of the compact, be flat. It is preferred that the parts, other than the mirror and the hinge axis pin, be of moul ed plastic. Of course, metal or other suitable materials may be used. Any suitable catch or latch device may be used to hold the compact closed, as for instance the engaging cam-pieces 24 and 25, securedon the top box member !8 and on the frame member l9, respectively, on the sidewalls thereof at the front of the com acters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

in all the views.

.Fig. l is a perspective view of a compact embodying the teachings of this invention. The item is here shown as seen from the front thereof.

Fig. 2 is a "similar view showing the item as seen from its rear.

Fig. 3 isv an exploded view showing the side view of all thecomponents comprising the article illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the frames. This one fits into the top cover of the compact and serves in the embodiment shown, as a bezel for a mirror.

' Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the other frame. Fig. 6 is a section taken at lines 6-6 in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a section taken at lines 1-! in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a section taken at lines 3-8 in Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a section taken at lines 9-9 in'Fig. 5. Fig. 10 is a section through the compact when in closed condition; said section being taken at lines ill-l 0 in Fig. 2.

Although the floor member 20 may be mount- 7 rear surface 28' which intersects the extreme rear surface 28 of said rear wall 26. The other walls of said frame member 19, are inverted channels as shown in Fig. 8, whose inner walls extend short of the extremity of the outer walls, the distance a which is equal to the thickness of the fioorinember 2t, and the extremity of such inner walls are coplanar with surface 29 of the rearwall 25. Dimensions are such that when the bottomfioor member 20 is mounted onto the underside of frame member l9 as shown in Fig. 10, said floor member is flush with,

inside surfaces of the outer walls of said channels. This frame 19, has a perimetral step 31 on top thereof, inward of its own perimeter. Upon closing the compact, this step 3| is received within the top box member 19, which comes to rest on surface 32.

The box top member !8 receives within it, the frame member 86, which includes the bezel structure 16 of the cross section shown in Fig. 6. Downwardly of such bezel and extending sufficiently rearward therefrom, is a central hinge lug 2|, providing the step 33, on which rests the rear side wall of the top box member. The rear wall 34 of the hinge lug 2! is flush with the rear side wall of the top box member. Said top box member i8 is deeper than the thickness of the bezel l6 which latter secures a mirror I! against the ceiling of the compact 15. To permit hinge movement, the hinge lug 21 is quarter-rounded at 35, while the rear surface of the respective hinge lugs 22 are semi-cylindrical; the radii of such rounded portions of all the hinge lugs being distance between such hinge axis and the rearmost wall 28 of the frame 19. This is made so, so that when the compact I is set in open position as shown in Fig. 11, and there being some friction on the hinge axis, the receptacle formed by the bottom box structure comprising the assembled frame l9 and the floor member 20, will be tilted forwardly downwardly, so any face powder therein will upon mere tap-ping the compact shift to the front where it all becomes readily accessible, instead of being spread all over the floor of the compact. It is to be noted that the dimensions are such that when the compact is on a surface in closed position, it will rest on the bottom member 20, and also on all the hinge lugs 2| and 22. The bevelled surface 28 not only permits the condition that the powder compartment is tilted forwardly downwardly, but also acts as a stop for the cover carrying the mirror H, to assume a predetermined rearwardly upwardly slanting position when the compact is opened as in Fig. 11.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications and uses without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiment shown herein be deemed illustrative and not restrictive, and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A compact comprising a top box member having downwardly extending marginal walls, a first frame secured with said member, having a hinge lug extending downwardly therefrom at the rear thereof, longitudinally therealong, spaced from the side edges of said frame and downwardly from the rear wall of said top box member; said hinge lug extending rearwardly to the plane of the exterior surface of the rear wall of the top box member, a second frame having downwardly extending marginal walls and a hinge lug extending rearwardly therefrom at each end thereof; the first mentioned hinge lug being between and in contact with the hinge lugs on the second frame, pin means positioned through said lugs, serving as the axis for the hinge formed by said hinge lugs and a bottom member mounted on the bottom of and closing the second frame member to form a bottom box member therewith; the top box member forming a cover for said bottom box member.

2. A compact comprising a top box member having downwardly extending marginal walls, a first frame secured to said member, having a hinge lug extending downwardly therefrom at the rear thereof, longitudinally there along, spaced from the side edges of said frame and downwardly from the rear wall of said top box member; said hinge lug being provided with a step; the bottom edge of the rear wall of the top box member, resting on said step, a second frame having downwardly extending marginal walls and a hinge lug extending rearwardly therefrom at each end thereof; the first mentioned hinge lug being between and in contact with the hinge lugs on the second frame, pin means positioned through said lugs, serving as the axis for the hinge formed by said hinge lugs and a bottom member mounted on the bottom of and closing the second frame member to form a bottom box member therewith; the top box member forming a cover for said bottom box member.

3. A compact comprising a top box member having downwardly extending marginal walls, a first frame secured to said member, having a hinge lug extending downwardly therefrom at the rear thereof, longitudinally there along, spaced from the side edges of said frame and downwardly from the rear wall of said top box member, 'a second frame having downwardly extending marginal walls and a hinge lug extending rearwardly therefrom at each end thereof; the first mentioned hinge lug being between and in contact with the hinge lugs on the second frame, pin means positioned through said lugs, serving as the axis for the hinge formed by said hinge lugs and a bottom member mounted on the bottom of and closing the second frame member to form a bottom box member therewith; the top box member forming a cover for said bottom box member; the second frame member for its major portion, consisting of an inverted channel, the outer wall of which constitutes the exterior wall of the bottom box member and whose inner wall extends downwardly short of its outer wall a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the bottom member; said bottom member having upwardly extending perimetral walls extending between the walls of said channel.

CLlFION J. COWAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Casalino Mar. 30, 

